Between Siblings
by Iori-chan-sempai
Summary: A usual morning was equal parts elation and frustration. Tsukumo/Toko.


"Tsukumo," Toko was still laid out on her side as she spoke, tugging sleepily at his arm, which had fallen around her waist in a measured maneuver in the night. "You'll be late," she groaned softly, no doubt trying to will herself out of bed.

"We can skip once or twice, right?" he said with the beginnings of a grin, strengthening the embrace just a little more, pulling Toko against his chest. The feeling of her back against him was always comforting; he curled inwards, pressing his nose into her hair and taking a subtle breath (she had taken another shower before bed and the lingering sickly sweet scent of her shampoo roused him more faster than any alarm clock).

"Tsu-ku-mo," she tried again, her voice a bit more vexed than earlier, "You know that Yuki is counting on us to keep him safe in the morning." Toko squirmed a little more on the bed, sighing, and Tsukumo had to hide a chuckle. Once again, she was more concerned with convincing herself that she too needed to wake up and get dressed before she was late to school.

Though he was well awake by now, he had no problem with remaining like this for a little while longer as he continued to play devil's advocate. "Luka can do that, can't he? I'm sure both of them would be fine with that."

At the mere mention of the handsome Duras, Toko's body tensed and she let out a tiniest little "hmph." Toko was such a predictable romantic-- the mention of the two star-crossed lovers made her swoon from the sweetness and reel with jealousy toward the manner of their bond.

"Come on, Tsukumo," she finally said, sitting up on the bed, dragging Tsukumo up with her.

"Alright, already." His hand dropped from her back, skating barely around the curve of her hips, in a tender, anxious touch that Toko was sure to never notice. "Didn't get a good sleep?" he asked, reaching forward to sweep his older sister's hair out of her face. Toko smiled at his concern, touching her slender fingers to his hand for a short (too short) moment.

"It was fine. I just wish it was a little longer." She slid out of bed as Tsukumo stretched vocally. When she whirled around to look at him, she was sighing, "You were up all night watching that stupid variety show. I couldn't fall asleep until you came upstairs." Her cheeks were puffed up in a sign of childish annoyance that Tsukumo had always found rather endearing--

but more so than that, her sentence had struck him oddly.

_He must be at ease, because you're here, Yuki._ Toko had said those words, looking lovestruck, when Luka had fallen asleep for the first time in their presence. Yet here she was, experiencing that same sort of unease when Tsukumo wasn't near her. His heart beat a little faster, fluttered even, when he thought about Toko needing him like that. But the flip side to that pleasure was how ironic, how frustrating, it was for his sister, such a romantic, to be so dense when it came to love. Of course, she would be the one jealous and longing for that sort of companionship when it was right here next to her.

"Eh, Tsukumo, why are you still lazing around? We'll be late if you don't hurry!" She reached out to tousle his hair when he grabbed her wrist and stood, bringing her right into his arms. That brief melancholy vanished as quickly as it appeared when he saw Toko's flushing face as she regained her balance. "What are you playing around for?"

Tsukumo laughed, "My bad." He pressed a soft kiss to the skin of her forehead before letting go of her hand. "You go ahead. I'll be right after you."

Toko let out a little huff as he padded over to his closet for his school uniform. "You'd better not think of going back to sleep," she warned on her way out.

Tsukumo, however, had still managed to catch the unyielding light pink on her cheeks from earlier. He was a patient man. He'd be Toko's prince charming because that was the way she wanted it the most. Sure, she was oblivious, but honest, heart felt, and Tsukumo loved her, more deeply than anyone could. He told himself that eventually she would see it, and if not, he would find a good time to sweep her off her feet. After all, even though Toko couldn't see just how much he cared for her, she was the most ignorant when it came to her own feelings. Sooner or later, she would have to realize that their love was not exactly one between siblings--

"I said don't go back to sleep!" came Toko's muffled voice, shouted from the bathroom next door.

Tsukumo held back a little smile.


End file.
